For this assignment, you need to identify a recent news article discussing some aspect of ecosystems (human impacts on a particular ecosystem, something new discovered about how ecosystems work, etc.). Ideally, the article will highlight the idea that the difference components in an ecosystem work together and exhibit feedbacks (changing one thing changes other parts of the system).
For your article, using the comment box below, provide the link to your article, and then summarize the important and interesting things that you learned and want to share with the rest of the class. Be sure to clarify who wrote the article, and whether or not the author(s) might have particular biases concerning the topic.
Daniel Shore
ReplyDeletehttp://www.marinij.com/general-news/20150321/report-warmer-water-off-marin-state-coast-hurting-ecosystem
The main point of this article is that the waters off the Californian coast are becoming unusually warm due to climate change, thus impacting the local ecosystem. The critical process of upwelling has endured significant damage due to the higher temperatures. This process involves the nutrients which Krill depend on for food photosynthesizing towards the surface. They normally get to the surface by way of funnels that are driven by cold and windy water. Unable to consume these, Krill are dying off as a result of these high temperatures. The ramifications are immense, as it completely disrupts the food change. Many animals rely on Krill as a food source, and many species rely on animals that eat Krill, and so on and so forth. Hence, many animals in this area are dying at unusually high rates, significantly changing the ecosystem as a whole.
The author of this article is a reporter for the Marin Independent Journal named Mark Prado. He did not seem all that biased, and it appeared as though he was approaching the topic through an objective journalistic lens.
See here Nate, its interesting how climate change can have such dramatic effects on our local ocean ecosystems. This article is similar to the one I read about the Australian cane toad as less krill will surely cause a tropic cascade of consequences.
DeleteInteresting how taking out one level of the food chain will disrupt the whole system. no matter how different certain organisms are they still have some involvement in the others life.
Deletehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150320155644.htm
ReplyDeleteThe article was about habitat fragmentation which is the division of habitats into smaller and more isolated patches. Habitat fragmentation is breaking apart ecosystems and dividing the organisms in them. The article talked about how the majority of forest lands are within half a mile or less of an area that has been developed by humans. This is a problem because the encroaching civilization is upsetting and interfering with the habitats that occupy these forests. When the forests are cut down or in a broader sense when the ecosystem is changed the plants and animals in it receive less nutrients which means that less plants grow and less animals are alive. This deforestation disrupts the balance of an ecosystem which in turn effects everything in and around it.
The article was written by North Carolina State University. In the article the author(s) mainly talked about facts, research results, and defined terms. The paper did not seem that biased if at all.
This article was really interesting because I never thought about how an environment can become split in two by deforestation. Now instead of just one centralized ecosystem being destroyed, it's been broken down into small pieces, and now those areas are degrading just as fast.
Deletehttp://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/whaling.asp
ReplyDeleteThis article highlights the fact that whales are still being killed across international waters despite the international ban on commercial whaling and how that affects the ocean's ecosystem- zooming in on the food chain. Whales are vital to the food chain; taking whales out of the food chain disrupts the energy flow of ocean marine life. The ocean life that is 'under' the whales become too abundant and as a result will fight for the food beneath them, so on and so forth- turning the entire food chain upside down. When the food chain is disrupted, it changes the entire relationship between the living organisms and the ocean itself. When we disrupt the ocean's food chain, we disrupt the ocean's natural processes.
The author of this article is anonymous but the article was published by the NRDC ( Natural Resource Defense Council). Since the publishers view themselves as a defense council, there is bias there. However, the article is approached through and objective, factual lens.
I really enjoyed this article. I find it very interesting that whaling is still a thing even after laws have been created against it. I also find it disturbing how people use scientific research as their excuse to continue their whaling practices. In the end of the article, it mentions how change can be made by the U.S. I hope that the U.S. decides to step in and help this problem because whales are crucial to ocean ecosystems.
Deletehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150317122807.htm
ReplyDeleteScientists in the Gulf of Mexico are gaining a better understanding of how naturally occurring climate cycles (EX: Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), a climate signal in the North Atlantic Ocean that switches between cool and warm phases, each lasting for 20-40 years at a time.) along with human activities are impacting and causing huge ecosystem changes. Major ecosystem shifts happen every few decades, which then impact controlled ecosystem components that humans benefit from, including fisheries. As scientists understand how and why these changes occur, can help communities and industries change and adapt their management strategies.
This article was published by Science Daily, but the information was sourced from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). They write their articles, and source their information in a purely factual manner.
http://www.insidescience.org/content/threats-sharks-threaten-entire-ecosystems/1351
ReplyDeleteThe article I read is about the effects sharks have on many ecosystems. The author of this article is Michael Heithaus. Heithaus appears to have no bias. However, some could disagree because they want to avoid the truth. Basically, Heithaus discusses the truth about the shark’s impact on our ecosystems. Shark fisheries are a major threats to sharks today. Fisheries are over-fishing sharks and this leads to more problems. Since sharks have a low-rate of reproduction (taking them about a decade or so to reproduce), this over-fishing crisis has created a decline in shark populations. These sharks are very important to ecosystems. An example of this is tiger sharks in Shark Bay, Western Australia. These sharks protect sea-grass beds from being overgrazed from their prey. In other places with less sharks (like Bermuda and the Indian Ocean), sea turtles have overgrazed and destroyed most of the sea grass. This results in a lack of habitat for smaller fish. The sea grass, beneficial to the environment, also pulls Carbon Dioxide out of the atmosphere. There are a few solutions to this problem. Shark tourism is a possible solution because fisheries can make money off of sharks without killing them. Another is to have fisheries slow down on their hunting of sharks. Shark sanctuaries, the last solution, has already been put into effect in some places. These places protect the sharks and nourish them.
I liked how the article talked about how a shark's reproduction rate is lower than a lot of other animals, it really helped emphasize how important it is to keep them alive. I also liked how he included a few solutions on how to solve the issue.
DeleteThis article is really interesting!. I liked how the author didn't seem to have a huge bias in what we should do about the shark population but strongly encourages and recommends we do something about it. I think we should stop fishing for sharks and allow them to reproduce especially places like shark sanctuaries. Sharks are an important part of the seas' ecosystem and without them their would be too many small breeds of fish that could cause massive damage to the oceans.
DeleteI find this article really interesting because it highlights the importance of every animal in the food chain. I think it is important for people to understand that every animal plays a critical role in their ecosystem, and without them it would create a negative affect on the environment.
Deletehttp://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2015/03/23/greenland_icemelt_study_suggests_the_day_after_tomorrow_has_some_basis_in.html
ReplyDeleteThere is a growing concern about Artic ice melt, especially in Greenland. The freshwater from melting Greenland glaciers are slowing the ocean’s circulating currents. Fresh water is less dense than saltwater therefore the melted glaciers resist the natural sinking motion and slows down the current. The currents are driven by differences in waters density, which is controlled by temperature and salinity, a process known as thermohaline circulation. Due to warmer temperatures the Greenland glaciers are melting at an unusual rate; there is a chance that the thermohaline circulation will collapse. By disrupting the system there will be a negative effect on local fisheries and the associated livelihoods of many people; as well as regional sea-level rise possibly up to thirty inches along the East Coast.
This article was published by Slate and written by Eric Holthaus, who is a meteorologists. Although he is a meteorologist and probably is not well informed about environmental impacts and systems, however, all of his information is backed up by information from a famous glaciologist, Jason Box.
It is interesting to think about how sea level rise will impact humans, and what we will do to adapt to it. There will be especially huge impacts because of the disruption in the thermohailene circulation, which can lead to localized cooling and warming of different regions.
Deletehttp://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27199-cane-toad-has-surprise-effect-on-australian- ecosystem.html#.VRDsSY54q_W\
ReplyDeleteThis article is about how the toxic Australian cane toad has had a surprising effect on the eastern Australian ecosystem. The toxic cane toad was introduced to Australia in the 1930s as an experiment to control an invasive beetle species. It is now causing ripples through the ecosystem in ways rarely seen when invasive species spread. When toads poison their predators, prey species can bounce back. This has caused a "trophic cascade," where killing off top predators has unexpected effects throughout an ecosystem. Without top predators, there is a surplus of prey species that can have a degrading effect on plants and throw the local ecosystem off balance.
This article is from newscientist.com, a website that shares science-related news. The author, Michael Slezak, spoke from an objective, journalistic point of view. Since this article wasn’t about humans and the environment or politics, it didn’t seem to be a biased source in the first place.
Shawn, I find it to be interesting that just one invasive species can throw off an entire ecosystem. Where are cane toads from originally, and what, if anything, is being done to deal with the problem?
DeleteCane toads are native to the Caribbean, where they eat the cane grub, but are controlled by natural factors in that ecosystem. Nothing is really being done - cane toads are spreading like wildfire through parts of Australia that are environmentally supportive (mostly Queensland).
Deletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/03/150323-supertide-english-channel-mont-saint-michel-science/
ReplyDeleteSun and Moon Create Europe's 'Tide of the Century'
Rare “supertide” forms temporary island in the English Channel.
Summary:
Every 18.6 years the sun, moon, and Earth line up created a greater gravitational effect causing there to be a temporary island in the English Channel. Because of this alignment, the tides became higher and lower than normal. The moon is also at it's closest range to the Earth, so the gravitational effect on the ocean is at it's greatest. Some of the tides are as high as a four-story building, but that didn't stop tourists from running towards the tides. However, it's also important to be careful because a fisherman was swept out and died.
Brian Clark Howard from National Geographic wrote this article and I don't think he had that much bias considering that this article was mostly factual.
I can't believe that the tides can be as high as a four-story building. That's honestly terrifying. I appreciate you sharing this article because I have always been curious about high and low tide and I now know it's due to the alignment of the moon.
DeleteMonica - how is this an ecosystem article?
Delete
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150119-california-forests-shrinking-climate-drought-science/
ReplyDeleteMany issues that California is faced with today are due largely to the horrific drought we’ve been in for the past four years. This article highlights how California has lost half od it’s big trees since the 1930s. The large tree’s that should be numerous in our forests have begun to disappear due to housing and logging, but largely to climate change. According to a study, “The number of tree’s larger than two feet in diameter has declined by 50 percent on more than 46,000 square miles of California forests.” The greatest loss of trees can be seen in areas where their trees are experiencing the greatest water deficit. Another major factor noted was the rising temperatures that have been causing trees to lose water to the air, which reduces their available water supply. There has also been a huge increase in oak trees in the state, which is what one should expect in a warming climate. Going back 150,000 years, oaks have thrived in drier and hotter areas. As temperatures continue to increase, we will only continue to see a decline in our larger California trees.
Warren Cornwall published this article for National Geographic on February 19, 2015. I can’t detect any obvious bias; the author seems to be writing a factual account of the loss of big trees in California.
The article you found was very interesting and I had never thought about the droughts impact on specific types of trees. Was there anything said about how people could curb this occurrence?
DeleteThis is a perfect example of how one environmental problem leads to another one that creates a whole larger situation that only becomes more irreversible. " Since the 1930s, McIntyre said, the biggest factors driving up water stress in the state have been rising temperatures, which cause trees to lose more water to the air, and earlier melting of snowpacks, which reduces the water supply available to trees during the dry season." It reminds me of the butterfly affect in that once we do something we don't really have control over what happens next. I guess we should first really focus on fixing the main problem that is directly in our face- which is the drought.
Deletehttp://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/2015/mar/11/iran-caspian-sea-pollution-overfishing
ReplyDeleteOff of the Caspian Sea, a small and enclosed body of water bridging Eastern Europe with the Middle East and South Asia, a diverse community of fishermen from all over Eastern Europe and the Middle East, primarily Azerbaijan, fish from the once plentiful Caspian Sea. “If the dwindling number of fish is anything to go by” said one fisherman, “we will need to start looking for different work.” The environmental causes of this decrease in fish have been investigated and confirmed. The most common breed of fish decreased from the 1950’s to 2000’s 1250 tons per year to 210 tons per year. Pollution has been pinpointed as the primary cause of this dramatic decrease in fish, as this specific body of water is highly enclosed and is bordered by four different countries, all of which utilize it for fishing and have varying environmental policies, making governing and enforcement highly difficult. High-end tourist villas which line the coast have also been directly pinpointed as a source for the pollution of the Caspain Sea. The effects of this change in resources has been economically detrimental to an already vulnerable groups in developing nations. The men all have medical insurance as members of the cooperative, but working conditions are harsh.
This article was published in The Guardian, a British Newspaper with a left-leaning bias. The Guardian is known as one of the most liberal newspapers in Britain, yet has maintained credibility and respect.
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/41553/20150323/dwindling-forest-habitats-threatening-worlds-ecosystems-says-study.htm
ReplyDeleteThis article is about deforestation and how it's affecting habitats and threatening ecosystems. The affected ecosystem's biodiversity have been reduced by 13-75% in the past 20 years.
I think this is a really good article about deforestation. It doesn't talk much about what happens to different species as the forests decline. It gives a good, general talk about why deforestation is so important not only to climate change, but also how badly it will affect ecosystems and different species.
DeleteJillian
DeleteYour summary should be more in-depth!
http://www.insidescience.org/content/threats-sharks-threaten-entire-ecosystems/1351
ReplyDeleteSince Tiger sharks are large predators, they often play a crucial role in controlling population of prey animals in a given ecosystem. Since sharks often control prey animal population, it is important to monitor shark populations. This article talks about how specifically Tiger sharks in Shark Bay in West Australia are being threatened by fishermen. Vast forests of sea grass grow in the shallow waters, where Tiger sharks live. The Tiger sharks will scare prey animals away from the sea grass. These smaller prey animals often eat the sea grass when the sharks are not monitoring the area. Sea grass plays a crucial role in reducing CO2 levels and when small animals like turtles come into the area and over eat the grass, it damages the ecosystem. Since the author of this article seems to be a scientist himself, there is clear bias that sharks need to be saved. He is advocating to stop over fishing of sharks to save the sea grass.